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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2/11/2023 Item 3a, Hermann - Staff Agenda CorrespondenceCity of San Luis Obispo, Council Memorandum City of San Luis Obispo Council Agenda Correspondence DATE: February 9, 2023 TO: Mayor and Council FROM: Greg Hermann, Deputy City Manager VIA: Derek Johnson, City Manager SUBJECT: 2023-2025 FINANCIAL PLAN COUNCIL MAJOR CITY GOALS WORKSHEETS Please see attached 2023-2025 Financial Plan Candidate Major City Goals for Council consideration during the February 11, 2023, Council Goal-Setting Workshop. The facilitator for the workshop will use the feedback from the worksheets to prepare draft goal statements as a starting point for Council discussion and direction. ATTACHMENTS: A – Combined Council Worksheet Attachment A – Combined Council Worksheet February 11, 2023 Goal Setting Workshop 1 What edits to the FY 21-23 Major City Goals would you make to focus on the most important items in these Goal areas? Economic Recovery, Resiliency & Fiscal Sustainability In collaboration with local partners, continue to support economic recovery for all from the COVID pandemic and support a thriving local economy by supporting local businesses, arts and culture, downtown vitality, practicing fiscal responsibility, paying down unfunded pension liabilities, and investing in critical infrastructure. Proposed edits to an Economic Recovery, Resiliency & Fiscal Sustainability Major City Goal: • It’s probably appropriate to remove the language around COVID and replace with broader language around “supporting economic resiliency and fiscal sustainability” from the expectations section. I would like to see discussion around adding language concerning supporting the local workforce since this currently reads as a more top - down goal. The remaining language remains relevant. • In collaboration with local partners, continue to support economic vitality, focusing on local businesses and facilitating capacity for increased childcare opportunities. • Encourage and support cultural vitality--since the arts and culture are foundational to our community’s mental health and overall wellbeing and are especially important to fostering community ties and a sense of belonging as our growing city welcomes new residents. • Continue to practice fiscal responsibility, including maintaining core service s, paying down unfunded pension liability, and investing in critical infrastructure. • Community Vitality: Promote community vitality by supporting local businesses, arts and culture, parks and open space, and downtown vitality and implementing planned projects and critical infrastructure. • In collaboration with local partners, implement initiatives that support a thriving and sustainable local economy and create fiscally responsible and sustainable city operations. This includes supporting local businesses, arts and cultural activities, and downtown vitality, as well as investing in city infrastructure, paying down pension liabilities, ensuring sufficient reserves and practicing other measures that promote the cities overall financial health. • I would also change the name of this goal to “Economic Resiliency and Fiscal Sustainability” (remove Recovery) • In collaboration with local partners, continue to support a thriving local economy by supporting local businesses, arts and culture, downtown vitality, (and eme rgency recovery?), practicing fiscal responsibility, which includes paying down unfunded pension liabilities. 2 Proposed items to be considered for the Economic Recovery, Resiliency & Fiscal Sustainability work effort: • I would like to see the city explore the viability to expanding our model CWAs to all city projects of a certain size and scope (TBD by staff and local labor negotiations). • I’m interested in the preservation of our historic resources and open to adding language about that under the “arts and culture” section perhaps in the form of “Arts, culture, and historic resources”. I remain clear-eyed about the economic realities we may face in the coming cycle and would entertain and discussion about placing in the bike rack. • I could be convinced that this belongs elsewhere… I want to see us more proactively look for ways to provide day care for all city employees thro ugh partnerships between P&R, Cal Poly and SLOCUSD. • Continuing to increase its community partnerships, grant writing capacity, investment in critical physical and cultural infrastructure. • Streamlining policies and permitting programs which support economic, cultural and social resiliency, and the retention of local businesses, and which facilitate increased childcare options, while ensuring fiscal sustainability. • Focusing upon vitality of the Downtown, development of the Cultural Arts Corridor and Parking Structure, upgrading Mission Plaza, beautification of public spaces and supporting preservation of City owned Adobes. • Proposed items to be considered for the Economic Recovery, Resiliency & Fiscal Sustainability Community Vitality work effort: • Continue with CIP list and implementation of approved workplans such as ATP, Climate Action Plan, Parks & Rec plan. Continue to pay down unfunded pension. Support historic resources. Review CIP pipeline projects (police station, Mission Plaza, fire stations, etc.) to consider adjusting size, budget and priority if needed. • Support local workers through CWAs, Internships and apprenticeships, collaborate with community organizations and to improve childcare options for families, stay tuned into public banking discussions, support all businesses and business development…with equity for areas outside downtown. Try to engage with other arts organizations besides SLOREP/SLOMA. Work to implement Downtown Concept Plan, especially portions that support active transportation and transit improvements. Consideration of vacancy taxes for downtown properties. • Continue work efforts on identifying and decreasing commercial vacancies, specifically downtown. Continue the Buy Local and Eat Local Bonus programs. Continue or increase arts & culture grants, coordinated community engagement efforts, and coordinated efforts with non-profits. Identify missing elements in SLO city to help businesses thrive that are serving or could serve marginalized communities. Continue with our fisc al policies including the fiscal health responsibility, which includes paying down unfunded pension liabilities. Seek partnerships and/or additional funding to leverage the city and taxpayers’ money. 3 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) In response to our commitment to making San Luis Obispo a more welcoming and inclusive city for all, continue to develop programs and policies to support diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and advance the recommendations of the DEI Task Force. Proposed edits to a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Major City Goal: • Now that we have made significant progress on our DEI implementation, I would like to update this goal to read more like an integrated part of our culture rather than something we aim to do in the future. It does need to retain language that acknowledges that this a work in progress that we are striving towards. Other than a change to more active verbs, I would like to see an expansion of the language around initiatives to something like “continue to develop programs and policies that promote DEI at all levels of employment and services…” or similar. • Continuing our commitment to making San Luis Obispo a more welcoming and inclusive city, support meaningful and effective City-wide diversity, equity and inclusion programs. • Engage new and longtime residents of all ages, abilities and backgrounds in forming our evolving sense of identity as a fair-minded community which works together to improve our common quality of life. • Reflecting our commitment to making San Luis Obispo a more welcoming and inclusive city for all, continue to develop and implement programs and policies to support diversity, equity, and inclusion. • Further our commitment to making SLO more diverse, equitable and inclusive by incorporating DEI concepts into all our city’s policies and programs and implementing the recommendations of the 2020 DEI Task Force. (correct date of Task Force?) • This goal was the least completed goal of 2021-23 work plan. This goal needs to remain. Proposed items to be considered for the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion work effort: • Refocus on the existing item that highlights and promotes businesses owned and operated by BIPOC community. • Proposed items to be considered for the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion work effort: • Keep with our city support in promoting art and cultural event s that highlight BIPOC community. • Advancing social cohesion and DEI goals within the organization and the community, within budget constraints. • Developing options for a Multicultural Center with Cal Poly and Cuesta, including residents and people of diverse ages, backgrounds and national origins. • Partnering with proven community providers and utilizing relevant best practice models to leverage City resources and maximize effectiveness of programs and projects. • Identifying and tracking measurable effectiveness and fiscal sustainability of the City’s diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. 4 • Continue with current work efforts. Consider shifting the focus of multicultural center away from new facilities to programmed activities in existing facilities, to determine uses and establish partnerships. • Increase broadband access, equitable and geographically dispersed parks, and places for recreation. Increase opportunities for communication with historically marginalized groups on every project/program (including infrastructure, housing, sustainable transportation, broadband, etc). Encourage diversity in local government through internships and community programs (like community academy). • Move forward with work efforts that were not able to be completed because of staffing issues. Move forward with a multicultural center of some sort, a pilot program may be the first step. The city of SLO is often the connector on many issues. Work toward bringing people together in our community to truly be an inclusive community. This can be through connecting non-profits, working with low-income housing communities to hear what’s missing in our community to help people thrive, maintaining or increasing grants, making the DEI through all city departments intention clearer and more visible. Seek partnerships and/or additional funding to leverage the city and taxpayers’ money. Housing and Homelessness To expand housing options for all, continue to facilitate the production of housing, including the necessary supporting infrastructure, with an emphasis on affordable and workforce housing. Collaborate with local non-profit partners and the county, the state, and federal governments to discover and implement comprehensive and effective strategies to reduce chronic homelessness. Proposed edits to a Housing and Homelessness Major City Goal: • Two Goals • Housing: To expand housing options for all, continue to facilitate the production of housing, including the necessary supporting infrastructure, with an emphasis on affordable and workforce housing. • Homelessness: Collaborate with local non-profit partners and the county, the state, and federal governments to implement comprehensive and effective strategies to reduce chronic homelessness. • Change to: “…continue to facilitate the production and necessary supporting infrastructure, for affordable and workforce housing with an emphasis on walkable and bikeable development.” Keep the rest. • I would like to discuss the merits of separating housing and homelessness with an acknowledgement that the current configuration may better reflect the actual responsibilities of the city in addressing homelessness. • Expanding housing options for all within the limits of our natural resources, General Plan and State regulations, and continuing to facilitate the production of housing and necessary infrastructure, with an emphasis on increasing affordable, transitional, supportive and workforce housing. 5 • Continuing to collaborate with County, State, Federal and regional agencies t o secure funding needed to address issues regarding unhoused residents, health and environmental concerns, as well as safety of the general public • With the goal of ensuring that income is not a barrier to safe housing for anyone, focus on facilitating the production of very low, low and moderate income affordable and workforce housing and associated infrastructure according to the goals and programs set in the City’s Housing Element. Simultaneously continue to collaborate with the County, other local jurisdictions, non-profit partners and state and federal governments develop and implement regional emergency and transitional sheltering programs. • Housing and Homelessness should be two separate Major City Goals • Housing - To expand housing options for all, continue to facilitate the production of housing, including the necessary supporting infrastructure, with an emphasis on affordable and workforce housing. • Homelessness - Collaborate with the SLO County region to support the county’s goal of reducing and preventing homelessness. Continue to partner with the county, local non- profit and non-governmental agencies, the state, and federal governments to advocate for increased funding and discover and implement comprehensive and effective strategies to reduce chronic homelessness. Proposed items to be considered for the Housing and Homelessness work effort: • Housing: -A focus on Concept plans for areas where we would like to see more infill and ATC infrastructure. i.e. Upper Monterey and Margarita. • -eliminate IHO from work effort: complete. • -Proactive support of tax credits for our affordable housing builders to ensure a greater share of these credits comes to projects in SLO. • -Expand protections for renters who make up the majority of our residents. • -Explore the viability of a vacancy fee or potentially tax (go to voters) for commercial areas in the city. • Housing - Continuing to implement the Housing Element • Housing - Continuing to focus on deed restricted affordable housing, supportive and transitional units and methods of increasing access to housing for the “missing middle” working families. • Housing - Ensuring that developments which have been granted density bonuses and other perks in exchange for providing low and very low income units are in fact housing people in those categories • Housing: Continue current work efforts; include reductions to parking requirements while increasing investments in multi-modal transportation. • Homelessness - existing but reinforcing) Expand CAT and MCU with more social workers and non-sworn outreach officers. • Homelessness - Enhance effort to lobby county, state, and federal gov’t for necessary infrastructure and support. • Homelessness - Establishing a Pallet temporary housing campus in the City. 6 • Homelessness - Reaffirming the below six supporting strategies for the Major City Goal approved by Council in the fiscal year 2021-23 financial plan: a. City Homelessness Team Coordination b. Environmental Protection and Water Quality, including cleaning up creeks, open spaces, public spaces and parks. c. Regional Engagement and Grant Management d. Community Action Team (CAT) Resources and Downtown Bike Team Resources e. Mobile Crisis Unit Pilot Program Implementation f. Non-profit Partner Funding Support • Homeless: Implement Homeless Response Strategic Plan; Participate in creating 100+ transitional housing units such as cabin villages and conversion of under -utilized commercial space. • Support the county and local partners develop regional approaches to communications and data collection and sharing around homelessness. • Leverage our own financial investments in homeless services with those of other jurisdictions for regional benefit. • Continue successful pilot programs and expand with funding from other partner agencies. • Focus region on finding funding sources to support housing and wrap around services for the hardest to serve (mental illness, substance abuse, medically fragile). Proposed items to be considered for the Housing and Homelessness work effort: • Collaborate with the region to support the county’s goal of reducing homelessness and preventing homelessness. Continue to partner with the county, local non -profit and non-governmental agencies, the state, and federal governments to advocate for increased funding and discover and implement comprehensive and effective strategies to reduce chronic homelessness. • Consider tiny homes, pallet structures, smaller unit multi-family homes for very low to missing middle/workforce housing. Encourage businesses and wraparound services to support all levels of housing. Seek partnerships and/or additional funding to leverage the city and taxpayers’ money. 7 Climate Action, Open Space, and Sustainable Transportation To proactively address the climate crisis, continue to update and implement the Climate Action Plan for carbon neutrality, including preservation and enhancement of open space and the urban forest, alternative and sustainable transportation, and planning and implementation for resilience. Proposed edits to a Climate Action, Open Space, and Sustainable Transportation Major City Goal: • Should we include the carbon neutrality goal date in the language? • Proactively address and adapt to the climate crisis, and continue to implement and periodically update the Climate Action Plan for carbon neutrality and sequestration. • Implement the Climate Adaptation and Safety Element, including planning for resilience in the face of climate change and emergencies. • Support preservation and enhancement of open space and natural areas, and implement the Community Forest Plan. • Support alternate, sustainable and accessible transportation for all ages and abilities. • Continue to leverage grant opportunities and work with state and local agencies and nonprofits which proactively protect environmental quality. • Implement and enforce the SB 1383 edible food waste requirements, AB 1276 single use plastics guidelines and the City’s Expanded Polystyrene Ordinance passed in 2015 • Consider dropping this as an MCG, as the work effort has been operationalized through the CAP and incorporated under other MCG’s. • To proactively address the climate crisis, continue to implement the Climate Action Plan for carbon neutrality, focusing on preservation and enhancement of convenient and equitable alternative and sustainable transportation, enhancing equitable access to parks and open space, and planning and implementation for resilience. • Proactively address the climate crisis through the implementation of the updated Climate Action Plan to create a More Resilient SLO. Reduce greenhouse gas emissions and use resources more effectively to reach carbon neutrality by 2035 in an equitable manner. Proposed items to be considered for the Climate Action, Open Space, and Sustainable Transportation work effort: • Focus on a revitalization of the bus staffing and routes as we rebuild from the effects of COVID. • -Look for ways to continue to expand our open space portfolio for both preservation and recreation purposes. • Continuing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, targeting organizational carbon neutrality by 2030 and community carbon neutrality by 2035. • Continuing proactive efforts to expand, nurture and maintain the San Luis Obispo Greenbelt. • Continuing to work with community groups toward the goal of planting 10,000 trees by the year 2035. 8 • Continuing to implement fiscally feasible Tier 1 projects identified in the Active Transportation Plan and leverage grant opportunities to electrify the transit fleet and necessary bus charging stations. • Increasing the number of local electric vehicle charging stations available to the public and battery storage capacity city wide. • Facilitating the expansion of broadband accessibility to all city residents. • Parks, fields – we have less park space per capita than is best practice. • Ensure mass transit access and sufficient bike and ped access to all parks and open space. • Continue to enhance active transportation routes and build out Tier 1 ATC projects. • Encourage and work to include low income voices in discussions about climate change and active transportation • Continue the preservation and enhancement of open space. Implement t he Community Forest Plan, including the planting of 10,000 trees by 2035. Implement the Alternative Transportation Plan to increase alternative and sustainable transportation, and planning and implementation for resilience. Seek partnerships and/or additio nal funding to leverage the city and taxpayers’ money. Are there any Major City Goals that need to be added? • Add Cultural Vitality to the Economic Recovery, Resiliency & Fiscal Sustainability Major City Goal • See modifications, above. • Not at this time. • Housing and Homelessness should be two separate Major City Goals Within the current goals or high-level, high importance tasks, what do you think could be stopped or deferred (if needed)? • While I’m not in favor of sidelining any CIP, there may be room for slowing the rollout of some projects, though I’m aware that any delay will likely result in high costs later. • Intensify safety training and liability avoidance strategies for all employees, to avoid future costly litigation and legal settlements. • Investigate all “pots” of funding which have not been fully or partially utilized, determine causes and free up funding for high priority projects and programs. • Slow down or defer funding lower priority paving and roads projects. • Ask each department to reduce its budget by 2% • Review and potentially adjust CIP to be at a pace that is sustainable, then communicate updated timeline to community. • Further expansion of greenbelt can be temporarily deferred in favor of other actions that will reduce our carbon footprint. • Also expansion of current homelessness pilot projects should be deferred until further support from county and partners is obtained.